> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.yournewdoor.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Handing and Operation
> Determine left-hand vs. right-hand and inswing vs. outswing correctly — every time — using the field methods that actually work.
# Handing and Operation
Handing errors are among the most common and costly mistakes in door orders. A door built with the wrong handing cannot be corrected in the field — it must be remade. Always confirm handing before submitting any order.
Handing tells the manufacturer which side the hinges are on and which way the door swings. It is one of the most misunderstood concepts for new reps — and one of the most important to get right.
## The Two Things Handing Defines
### 1. Hinge Side
Which side of the door opening has the hinges — left or right. This is the primary handing determination. You determine handing by standing on a specific side of the door (see below).
### 2. Swing Direction
Whether the door opens **into** the building (inswing) or **out from** the building (outswing). This must be recorded separately from handing and affects frame, threshold, and weather seal design.
## The Four Handing Combinations
| Code | Full Name | Hinges Visible From | Swings |
| ------------------- | ------------------ | ------------------- | ----------------- |
| LH | Left Hand | Interior side | Into the building |
| RH | Right Hand | Interior side | Into the building |
| LHR | Left Hand Reverse | Exterior side | Out from building |
| RHR | Right Hand Reverse | Exterior side | Out from building |
"Reverse" in LHR and RHR means **outswing**. When hinges are on the left and the door swings outward, it is a Left Hand Reverse. This is the convention used by most manufacturers and order systems.
## How to Determine Handing in the Field
**For exterior replacement doors — the most reliable method.**
1. Stand outside the building, facing the door (the side the door will swing away from if outswing, or toward you if inswing).
2. Look at the closed door.
3. If the hinges are on your **left**, the door is **Left Hand** (inswing) or **Left Hand Reverse** (outswing).
4. If the hinges are on your **right**, the door is **Right Hand** (inswing) or **Right Hand Reverse** (outswing).
For exterior doors: always stand outside. For interior doors: always stand in the hallway or the room you are entering from.
**A universal field method that works for any door.**
1. Stand with your **back flat against the hinge-side jamb** of the closed door.
2. Extend your arm to push the door open.
3. If you extend your **left arm**, it is a **Left Hand** door.
4. If you extend your **right arm**, it is a **Right Hand** door.
5. If the door swings toward you (away from the building), add **Reverse**.
This method is favored by installers because it is body-based and works regardless of which side of the door you are standing on or which direction you are facing.
**When you cannot be on site.**
Ask the customer to send:
1. A photo from outside the home looking directly at the closed door
2. A photo from inside the home looking at the closed door
3. A close-up of the hinge side of the frame
From these three photos you can typically confirm hinge side and swing direction. Still confirm verbally before submitting the order.
Never determine handing from a single photo taken from an unknown vantage point. Photos without context cause handing errors.
## Inswing vs. Outswing
The door slab swings **into** the building when opened. This is the most common exterior and interior configuration. The hinges are visible from inside when the door is closed. Weatherstripping on the interior side seals against the doorstop.
**Typical uses:** Entry doors, interior passage doors, most residential exterior applications.
The door slab swings **out from** the building when opened. The hinges are visible from outside when the door is closed. Outswing doors require a different threshold design and have the weatherstripping on the exterior side.
**Typical uses:** Storm-zone applications, screen porches, tight interior spaces where inswing would block furniture or walls. In hurricane zones, outswing is sometimes required by code.
On an outswing door, the hinge pins are exposed on the exterior. For security-critical exterior outswing installations, specify non-removable hinge pins (NRP hinges).
## Handing for Double Doors
For double door systems, handing is referenced from the **active panel** (the panel with the operating lockset).
### Active Panel Left
The lockset is on the left door panel. The active door is left-hand or left-hand reverse depending on swing direction.
### Active Panel Right
The lockset is on the right door panel. The active door is right-hand or right-hand reverse depending on swing direction.
Always confirm which panel is active before entering a double-door handing code. The inactive panel has a flush bolt or surface bolt — not the primary lockset.
## Handing Quick-Reference Diagram
```text theme={null}
VIEW FROM OUTSIDE THE BUILDING
LEFT HAND (LH) RIGHT HAND (RH)
Inswing Inswing
|H| | | |H|
|I| | | |I|
|N| | → opens inside | |N| → opens inside
|G| | | |G|
|E| | | |E|
Hinge on left Hinge on right
--------------------------------------------
LEFT HAND REVERSE (LHR) RIGHT HAND REVERSE (RHR)
Outswing Outswing
|H| | | |H|
|I| | | |I|
|N| | ← opens outside | |N| ← opens outside
|G| | | |G|
|E| | | |E|
Hinge on left Hinge on right
```
## The Golden Rule of Handing
Before closing any quote, state the handing out loud: **"This is a Left Hand Inswing"** or **"Right Hand Reverse."** Make the customer or installer confirm it verbally. If they are uncertain, do not proceed. A handing error costs more than any other single mistake in a door order.